Amalgamator.



G. H. LOUGKS.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1912.

1 ,0?0,04 Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

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G. H. LOUGKS.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1912.

G. H. LOUGKS.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED smms, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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J XM, m "ma G. H. LOUGKS.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 321mg, 1912.

1,070,048. Patented Aug". 12, 1913.

4 SHBBTSSHEET 4.

GEORGE H. LOUGKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AMALGAMATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. LOUCKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Anialgamators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to amalgamators for use in connection with free milling ore, placer mine ore, or the like; and the primary object of the invention is to provide a machine of improved general construction and operation, having high capacity and capable of saving high percentages of the values in the ores treated.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a broken side elevational view of an amalgamator constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a broken enlarged sectional view taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1 and showing details of a revolving air-blast. pipe employed; Fig. 8, a section taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side elevational view showing the opposite side of the machine to that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, an enlarged broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4; and showing a detail of the revolving ore-feeding cylinder employed for carrying the ore through the mercury bath; Fig. 6, a broken plan view of the machine; Fig. 7, an enlarged sectional view taken as indicated at line 7 of Fig. 1, this view showing a detail of a removable stationary air-blast device employed; Fig. 8, a section taken as indicated at line 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a perspective view of an implement adapted for use in withdrawing the cleansing or swabbing plunger from the air pipe shown in Fig. 7, after removal of said air-pipe; Fig. 10, a longitudinal sectional view of the machine; Fig. 11, a broken sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing the teeth with which the ore-feeding cylinder is equipped peripherally; Fig. 12, a broken sectional view showing a revoluble brush adapted to operate in conjunction with the toothed cylinder mentioned; Fig. 13, a broken sectional view showing the lowermost sieve, disclosed in Fig. 10, replaced by a plate; and Fig. 14, a broken section taken as indicated at line 14 of Fig. 10.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 3, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Serial No. 718,284.

In the construction illustrated, A represents a frame equipped with a mercurywell A; B, a rotary, toothed ore-feeding cylinder journaled in the frame and depending into the well A; C, a hood covering the cylinder and equipped with an ore-chute C; D, a shaker, or vibrator, equipped with a series of screens; and E, a blower operative to force air-currents through the vibrator D.

The frame A may be of any suitable construction. It is preferred to construct the main portion of the frame of a casting formed with a hot water jacket 1 below the mercury-well A, so that the mercury, which is intended to be maintained at about the level indicated by the dotted line 2, can be kept in a heated condition, the frame being also formed with a chute or passage 3, above the level of the mercury, and extending rearwardly from the mercury-well. A casing 4 extends rearwardly from the chute 3 and the fan or blower E, and the vibrator D are housed in said casing. At the rear portion of the casing is a hood or chute 5 which is hinged at 6, and may be thrown back so as to rest upon the top wall 7 of the casing 4.

The cylinder B is preferably made hollow and liquid-tight. It is mounted on a shaft 8 journaled in the end-walls of the mercurywell A. One end of the shaft 8 projects a considerable distance from the frame of the machine and is equipped with a pulley 9 by means of which the machine is operated. Inside the pulley 9, the shaft 8 is equipped with a pulley 10 which is connected by a belt 11 to a pulley 12 on the shaft 13 of the blower E. The opposite end of the shaft 8 is provided with a passage 1 1 which communicates with the interior of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 5, thus enabling air-pressure to be applied to determine whether the cylinder is liquid-tight. The hollow end of the shaft 14 is equipped with a gear 15 which meshes with a pinion 16 on a stubshaft 17, as shown in Fig. at. The pinion l6 meshes with a pinion 18 which serves to rotate an air-blast pipe 19 disposed above the rear portion of the mercury-well near the point of the junction of the chute 3 therewith. The air is supplied to the pipe 19 from the pipe 19, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The stationary pipe 19 communicates, through a bushing 20, with the adj acent end of the pipe 19 at the point where the latter is journaled in the end wall of the mercury-well A. The other end of the pipe 19 is fitted in a bearing 21 at the opposite side of the machine. The rotary pipe 19 is provided with a longitudinal slot 22 guarded by a screen 23, as will be understood from Figs. 2 and 3. -The screen 23 serves to diffuse the air issuing from the slot-form air-passage 22. The rotation of the pipe causes the air to be directed in a sweeping course through the passage 3 at intervals, thus serving tosweep the gangue, as it rises from the mercury-well, backwardly through the chute 3.

The pipe 19 constitutes a branch of a pipe 24, which is connected with any suitable source of compressed air. The pipes 19 and 24 are equipped, respectively, with valves 25 and 26, by means of which the air admission may be regulated. Pipe 24 connects at its lower end with a pipe-section 27 (Fig. 7), which is screwed into a perforation in the adjacent end wall of the mercurywell A. The pipe-section 27 communicates with a withdrawable pipe 28, which extends through the mercury-well, being disposed beneath the cylinder B and somewhat in the rear of the central vertical plane thereof, as shown in Fig. 10. Pipe 28 is provided with a longitudinal slot 29, which is directed toward the periphery of the cylinder B, as appears from Fig. 10. The pipe extends through a gland 30 connected with the end-wall of the chamber A, and is fitted with a hand-wheel 31, by means of which the pipe may be angularly adjust-ed or withdrawn. Normally, the pipe is held in place by means of a nut 32 connected with the gland 30. Vithin the pipe 28 is a rod 33 fitted with a piston-head 34, which is adapted to serve as a swab. The extremity of the pipe 28 fits in the opening which receives the pipe-section 27, a packing-washer or gasket 35 being interposed between the pipe sections, as shown in Fig. 7. The extremity of the rod 33 is threaded and projects somewhat beyond the extremity of the pipe 28, being adapted to have applied thereto a handle 36, which is equipped with an internally-threaded hollow shank 36 which screws onto the end of the rod. Thus, after the pipe 28 has been withdrawn to enable amalgam to be cleaned therefrom the implement 36 may be used to withdraw the plunger 33 and thereby swab or clean the interior of the pipe 28. The hood C, to which the chute C is fitted, may be removed at will to give access to the cylinder 13; and the bearings 36 which accommodate the shaft 8 of the cylinder are divided bearings, to enable the cylinder B to be removed at will. The hood O is also fitted with a vent pipe 37. The chute C has its lower end contracted by means of the inclined wall 38 which overlies the front portion of the cylinder, leaving a comparatively small space 39 at the extreme front portion of the cylinder, through which the gangue or sand may pass.

The cylinder B is provided circumferentially with exterior longitudinally-extending teeth or serrations 40 (see Fig. 11). These teeth incline in the direction of the rotation of the cylinder, and are under-cut, so that as the ore is fed down through the opening 39 of the chute C, the pulverulent material or sand, as the case may be, will be caught by the teeth and carried down through the heavier mercury. At the ends of the cylinder are provided circumferential flanges 41; and the teeth 40 extend longitudinally of the cylinder from one end flange to the other.

The mercury-well is fitted at its bottom with a discharge-pipe 42 controlled by a cook 43 secured by a lock 44. Thus, the mercury and amalgam may be drawn from the well, when desired. The mercury-well is fitted, also, with an overflow pipe 44, guarded by a shield 44 (Figs. 4, 10, and 14). Thus, in the event of the mercury or amalgam rising above the level indicated by the line 2', it will overflow through the pipe 44 which may lead to any suitable receptacle (not shown).

The hot-water jacket 1 may be supplied with hot water or steam from any suitable source. I have illustrated a coil 45 disposed over a burner 46 and connected with the jacket by a going-pipe 47 and a returnpipe 48. Any suitable means may be employed for supplying a heating medium to the jacket. I have shown the mercury-well equipped with a thermometer 49, which is employed with a view of maintaining the mercury at a moderate degree of heat.

The vibrator D comprises an upper chamber 50, which is in alinement with the chute 3, and a lower chamber 51 having a forwardly and downwardly sloping bottom wall 52. The chamber has an imperferate bottom wall 53 which extends rearwardly from the chute 3 a short. distance. In the rear of the wall 53 and in substantial alinement therewith is a removable screen54. Other removable screens 55 and 56 are contained in the chamber 51 below the screen 54. All of the screens preferably incline rearwardly somewhat, as shown in Fig. 10. At the rear end of the chamber 50 is a perforate wall or screen 57, through which air may escape to the tail-chute 5. The chamber 51 has its bottom wall 52 equipped with a discharge-chute 58.

The fan E has a casing 59 provided with a discharge-chute 60, which has one wall extended, as indicated at 61, into the chamber 51. The outlet from the chute 60 is guarded by a screen 62, the function of which is to diffuse the air passing from the fan into the chamber 51 of the vibrator.

The fan casing 59 is provided with' an axial inlet 63 guarded by sectors or valves 64 which are connected with a common adjusting device 65. Thus, admission of air to the fan may be regulated.

The vibrator D is suspended by links 66, which depend from the upper portion of the frame-extension 4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 1. The vibrator is actuated by a connectingrod 67 joined to a wrist-pin 68 on the pinion 16.

Where the machine is operating on ore containing values in chemical compounds, so that it is desirable to save the gangue containing such values, the screens are employed in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10, and when the machine is operated in this way, the lighter gangue, containing no value, will be blown into the discharge-chute 5, while the heavier gangue will descend upon the inclined bottom-member 52 of the vibrator and be discharged through the chute 58. In other cases, as where the machine is operated to save metal in the free state, and notably where sand is being passed through the machine, the lower screen 56 may be removed and replaced by a silver plate 69 (Fig. 13) whose rear end is provided with a re-curved portion 70 adapted to project over the rear portion of the inclined bottom wall 52, so that any amalgam which may be carried over the plate 69 will follow the re-curbed portion 70 and drop on the bottom wall 52, from whence it will pass to chute 58.

In Fig. 12 is illustrated a brush 71, which may be fitted with wire bristles, and which is adapted to co-act with the cylinder when the machine is operating upon ore which has a tendency to stick together, the purpose of the brush being to disintegrate the ore. The brush is mounted on arms 7 2 which have pivotal connection at 73 with the airpipe 28. The arms 72 may be readily disconnected from the pipe 28, as the brush is not needed in ordinary work. Then the brush is used, the mercury forces it against the cylinder 13, and as the cylinder B rotates, the brush is caused to rotate, so that it will act as an agitator.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing detailed description.

The ore, consisting of sand or fine millings, as the case may be, is fed into the chute G, and the cylinder B, rotating as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 10, carries the ore downwardly through the mercury. As the mercury operates upon the free ore to form amalgam, the amalgam will settle to the bottom of the mercury-well, while the lighter ore will be freed from the teeth of the cylinder as they pass a point at the lower side of the cylinder, when the gangue will float to the surface of the mercury in the rear of the cylinder and be driven through the chute 3 by the air-blast from the pipe 19. As the teeth pass the pipe 28, any materials which tend to stick in the cavities will be dislodged by the air-blast from the pipe 28. As stated above, the brush 71 shown in Fig. 12 will be employed when the machine is operating upon materials which may render the use of the brush desirable. Inasmuch as the pipe 19 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 10, the air issuing from said pipe will be carried by a sweeping action over the surface of the mercury and across the front portion of the chute 8, thereby sweeping the tailings rearwardly through the chamber 50 of the vibrator. Any amalgam which may be carried to the vibrator will descend through the screens onto the inclined bottom wall 52 and be returned to the chute 5 8, where the amalgam can be saved.

As above stated, the lower screen 56 may be replaced by the plate 69, when it is not desired to have the gangue all pass to the discharge-chute 5.

A machine of the construction described possesses large capacity, is durable, and is adapted to effect saving of a very high percentage of the values carried by the ore. Such a machine can be manufactured at moderate cost and is capable of being transported in a knock-down condition, for convenience of transportation.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no undue limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an amalgamator, the combination of a mercury-well, an ore-feeding cylinder rotating therein, and an air-pipe in said well below the mercury level adapted to direct an air-blast against the immersed surface of said cylinder.

2. In an amalgamator, the combination of a mercury-well, an ore-feeding cylinder rotating therein and having its surface equipped with ore-engaging projections adapted to carry the ore downwardly through said well, and an air-pipe in said well below the mercury level adapted to direct an air-blast against the immersed surface of said cylinder to dislodge the gangue from the projections thereon.

3. In an amalgamator, the combination of a mercury-well, an ore feeding cylinder rotating therein, and a withdrawable airpipe in said well below the mercury level adapt ed to direct an air-blast against the immersed surface of said cylinder, and means carried within said pipe whereby the values deposited therein may be removed therefrom.

i. In an ainalgainator, the combination of a mercury-Well, an ore-feeding cylinder rotating therein, an outlet-chute in the rear of said cylinder and a rotary air-blast pipe between said chute and cylinder and adapted to direct intermittent blasts of air across the surface of the mercury bath to sweep the gangue into said chute.

5. In an ainalganiator, the combination of a lnercuryqvell having its rear-portion formed With a chute extending rearWardly from the upper portion of said Well, a horizontally disposed rotary gangue-feeding cylinder depending in said Well, an airblast pipe in said Well below said cylinder, and a rotary air-blast pipe in the rear of said cylinder adapted to deliver a sweeping air-blast through said chute.

GEORGE H. LOUCKS. In presence of JOHN l/VILSON, R. A. SOHAEFER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

